Saturday's Charm
by Ayn504
Summary: Young Sora and Riku vow to give Kairi a birthday she won't soon forget. Pre KH fic, SoraKairi RikuKairi. This fic is COMPLETE! Thanks to all who came along for the ride.
1. Fireside Chats

I don't own the characters; I just write them for my own amusement.

Saturday's Charm

Chapter One: Fireside Chats

Sora's favorite thing in the whole world, he decided that evening, is a good campfire. He never considered it strange for a five-year old to already have a favorite thing in the whole world. Besides, even if it was strange, he had already decided he could live with having a campfire at the top of his list.

He loved the smell from the logs as they burned; he loved the way the flames flickered and reached for the night sky. He loved the sparks of burning remnants of wood that landed in the sand and lingered there for a few minutes, before he decided to snuff it out under his shoes. He especially loved the way the smoke billowed from the fire and traveled in every direction, at complete mercy of the wind.

Sora loved campfires. But the only thing _truly_ better than a campfire itself was having a campfire with friends.

"You know", Kairi said playfully, digging her toes into the sand, "Someone told me once that if smoke from a campfire follows you, it means you're beautiful."

Riku, the oldest of the three friends at six years old, was not thrilled with the idea. He quickly waved the smoke away from his face, his expression sour. "Who told you that?"

"I dunno", Kairi replied. "I can kind of see her face…" she gestured at her temples, then her forehead, indicating her attempt to recall the woman. "…But I don't remember who she is."

Sora scooted towards Kairi, intrigued. "Was she someone from your old town?"

Kairi nodded.

Sora's interest was piqued. "What else from your old town did you forget?" he asked excitedly.

"Don't be dumb, Sora", Riku said, poking the campfire gently with a stick. He quickly retracted the stick at the sound of his father's voice scolding him. "You can't remember stuff if you forgot it."

"I guess that's true…" Sora watched the smoke rise high into the sky, thoughtful. "Well… What do you remember?"

"Um…" It was Kairi's turn to be scolded for poking at the fire with a stick. She drew her knees to her chest, thinking. "I remember a bunch of people in a big field with flowers everywhere, and there's a lady with a soft and pretty face, and there's a yellow-haired man giving her a present-"

"Christmas presents?" Sora interrupted.

She shook her head. "No… It wasn't Christmas, because I don't remember there being all the Christmas lights in the town."

"So it was the lady's birthday?" Riku asked.

"Yeah!" Sora jumped to his feet, quick to change the subject. "You know what, Kairi? Riku's birthday is the day after mine, but he's a year older than me. So we have a party together, and we get lots of presents and a big cake and-" Sora stopped, smiling down at Kairi. "Hey, when's your birthday anyway? If it's the same as ours we could all have a big party."

But Kairi didn't return his smile. She had buried her face in her knees, and Sora could hear her quietly sobbing. He plopped down next to her, confused.

"What's the matter Kairi?" he asked. "Don't you like birthdays?"

"It's not that", she gasped in between sobs. "I just… I can't remember…"

Sora thought for a few minutes before coming to a grim realization. "You can't remember your birthday?" Kairi nodded, gulping.

A sudden silence swept over the children, save for Kairi's crying. Sora stared at the sand, listening to the fire hiss and pop, and to the low hum of their parents murmuring to each other several yards away.

It wouldn't make sense to call upon the aid of his parents, Sora decided. Momma and Dad never really seemed too happy about their birthdays and getting older. For some reason Sora couldn't quite figure out, they never even bothered to throw a party for their birthdays, despite the prospect of receiving presents and cake. Without parties, what was the point of birthdays, anyway? No, a problem this serious was something the kids would have to take care of.

But for solutions, Sora found he was at a complete loss.

"Well, that's not good", Sora commented helplessly, turning his gaze to Riku. Surely Riku would know what to do. He was _Riku,_ and in Sora's eyes he was capable of solving any problem.

Riku reached over to pat Kairi's shoulder rather awkwardly. "We'll just give you a birthday then", he said simply.

Kairi looked at him, a smile spreading across her face, her eyes shining bright from the light of the fire through her tears. "Really?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

Riku nodded. "Sure. When do you want your birthday to be?"

Kairi shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," she said, frowning. "There are too many days to pick from."

"How long has do you think it's been since you had your last birthday?" Riku asked. Sora grinned, satisfied to see his best friend taking control of the situation with such a great deal of confidence.

"I can't remember."

"I'm willing to share my birthday with Kairi", Sora said.

Riku shook his head. "No, Kairi deserves a birthday all to herself."

"How about this Saturday then?" Sora suggested. Kairi's face brightened at the idea.

"Yeah!" Sora continued, jumping to his feet, his excitement growing. "We can have the cake and games and lots of presents and it'll be a lot of fun! Right?" His grin flashed brighter than the fire.

"It's settled then", Riku said, standing, resting a hand on his hip. "We'll have the birthday party on Saturday, and we'll invite everybody."

Kairi's excitement surpassed even Sora's. She wrapped her arms happily around both boys, hugging them tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Sora hugged back. Riku stood straight and rigid, looking awkward.

"Hey Sora", Riku muttered. He reached over to give his friend a noogie. "This means Kairi will turn six on Saturday… You're gonna be the youngest one of all of us."

Sora raised his eyebrows. "Oh man, and my birthday's not for a long time, too." He was smiling, though. He would be the youngest any day if it meant he got to throw a birthday party for Kairi.

Several hours later, Sora buried his face in his mother's shoulder as she carried him home from the campfire. Young as he was, he had a lot of planning to do in the coming days.

What sort of present would Kairi like?


	2. Binding Force

Chapter Two: Binding Force

The next morning, Sora met up with Riku at the island.

He never really considered his memories of the island until that day. For as long as Sora could remember, he and the other children had traveled to the island almost daily to play on the beach or climb trees. Several months earlier, however, Sora's father had enlisted the help of other dads in town to build several boardwalks and ladders for the children to play on. Sora remembered sitting on the docks, watching his Dad carry lumber all over the island. He remembered, especially, his Dad installing the door leading to the girl's side.

Oh, right, the _girl's _side. Sora hadn't really understood why it was necessary to split the island into a girl's side and a boy's side, but Riku and the other boys seemed adamant about keeping something called "cooties" off of the boy's side.

Cooties. Sora had never actually seen a cootie before, but according to Riku, they were giant blood-sucking bugs that lived on girls and, if you got too close, they latched onto you and ate all your blood. It was the worst way to go, Riku had insisted, and he described in detail just what happens to a poor soul who was unfortunate enough to have his blood eaten by cooties. As a result, Sora was unable to sleep in his own bed for two weeks.

So, instead of giving the children two different places to play, the fathers had unintentionally divided the island into the "cootie side" and the "non-cootie side". Selphie, as Sora recalled, was not too thrilled with the idea.

Things changed when Kairi arrived, however. She had stood at the door between the girl's side and the boy's side, vehemently arguing that she did not have bugs crawling all over her. Riku had stood off to the side, arms crossed and wearing an expression of doubt. Sora, however, had decided to risk having his blood eaten by giant bugs and approached, giving Kairi the chance to prove that she did not actually have cooties.

"Look, Riku, Kairi was right! She doesn't have cooties!" Sora had proclaimed happily, grabbing Kairi's arm and holding it above her head triumphantly.

Riku wasn't convinced. Kairi responded by grabbing his hand.

"What? What are you doing?" Riku clearly looked uncomfortable with having Kairi holding his hand.

"Hush", Kairi ordered. Still gripping his hand tightly, she reached for his arm with her other hand. She carefully traced two small circles on his arm with her fingers, and then tapped the spot twice before suddenly pinching him- hard.

"Ow!! What was that for?"

"Cootie shot", Kairi said, smiling. "Now you're immune to cooties! We can all be together and not on the other side of the island."

Riku had eventually decided it was enough, Sora recalled. He remembered holding out his arm silently as Kairi administered the cootie shot, and he remembered how he felt that the island was completed that day. Kairi's simple presence could bring anybody together; she was a binding force that had ended the war between the girls and the boys.

That's why, Sora thought to himself as he pulled off his sandals, Kairi deserves a really special birthday.

It was nearing lunchtime, but Sora wasn't interested in going to the shack to eat just yet. He dipped his feet into the shallow pond towards the middle of the island, and then motioned for Riku to join him.

"You remember that, right?"

"Remember what?" Riku pulled his shoe off with some effort, and turned it over to pour out sand that had accumulated in the shoe.

"When Kairi killed the cooties."

"Oh, yeah. That was pretty cool", Riku said, shaking his shoe a bit to loosen the sand. A small pile was forming on the ground below him.

"That's why we gotta make sure her party's perfect on Saturday, right?" Sora asked, wading out to the middle of the pond. The bottom of his shorts touched water, and immediately clung to his skin.

"Right." Riku leaned over and watched the sand fall from his shoe. It was forming an unusually large pile, and sand was still falling in a rather thick stream. Sora turned to watch as well, wondering how Riku was able to fit his foot in his shoe with all that sand.

"You need sandals", Sora commented absently, staring at the spectacle piling under Riku's shoe.

Riku shook his head. "Mom hasn't bought more since we tried to flush my last pair down the toilet."

The memory made Sora laugh, despite himself. Riku pulled off his other shoe and began dumping the sand out of it as well.

Sora splashed around in the pond a little. "Hey, Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you getting Kairi for her birthday?"

Riku gave up on attempting to remove all the sand from his shoes, and tossed them aside. "I was thinking", he said quietly, "I was thinking… I might give her something I won at the boardwalk last month."

Sora felt his heart sink. The _boardwalk_. They had _everything _at the boardwalk; from stuffed animals to pet goldfish to all sorts of neat little toys that any kid would love to get for his or her birthday.

There was a catch though: you had to actually win a game before you got any prizes. Sora tried his hardest, but he never was able to actually win anything at the boardwalk. But Riku won every game he tried, and always left the boardwalk with an armload of prizes. More often than not, Riku would step in and win a prize for Sora, if it was something he really, really wanted.

Sora always appreciated Riku's willingness to help out, but when it came to getting a gift for Kairi… No, Sora wanted to get something for Kairi all by himself.

But oh man, the _boardwalk_. Sora would never be able to get a present as good as something from the boardwalk.

"What is it?" Sora dared to ask.

"Oh, it's a little chain necklace," Riku replied casually. "I'm glad I hung onto it, 'cause then I wouldn't have a gift." He finally jumped in the pond, splashing water over both of them. "What are you getting her?"

"…It's a secret", Sora said quickly.

"A secret, huh?" Riku crossed his arms. "It must be _really _good if you won't tell me what it is, Sora."

"Oh, it is!" Sora insisted, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

His mind was racing. Maybe Kairi would like one of his stuffed animals? Well, no, all of his stuffed animals were pretty old and ratty. What about a ring? No, he wasn't gonna _marry _her; he was only getting her a birthday present. Well, what about…

Sora decided he could definitely use some advice.

* * *

Dinner at Sora's house was always a mix between a calm sanctuary and a tidal wave. His mother would be chopping vegetables and cleaning fish, humming quietly to herself, and Sora would suddenly burst through the door, tossing his things to the side and chattering about all the things he had accomplished that day. 

Momma was carefully setting fish fillets on a sizzling pan when the tidal wave came.

"Momma!" Sora exclaimed, slamming the door behind him and kicking off his sandals. "Momma, Riku's getting Kairi something really cool for her birthday and I want to get her something cool too but I don't even know what to get her and-"

"Slow down, Sora-bug", Momma said softly, reaching down and plucking him up into her arms. "Let's think about this for a bit… What have you thought of getting for Kairi so far?"

Sora was quiet for a few minutes, watching Momma flip over the fillets. "I want to get her a pet slug", he said.

Sora had to admit, he was rather pleased with himself for coming up with such an idea. Slugs were a truly rare find on Destiny Islands; he had only ever seen one in his entire life: it had been inching along in his backyard. He reveled in the way it scooted across the grass, and he especially loved the weird, slimy texture of the slugs skin. Kairi would sure appreciate a prize like a slug; something you most definitely can't win at the boardwalk. It was perfect! The slug could fit in her pocket and all she had to feed it was a blade of grass or two a day. Sora couldn't help but grin at himself for being so clever.

Momma laughed a little. "Sora, sweetie, I think a slug's a good idea for a present, but…"

Sora grimaced. There was always a "but".

"I think", Momma continued, "we should try to think of a present_ Kairi_ would like to receive, rather than a present _Sora_ would like to receive."

Sora didn't really understand why Kairi wouldn't like to have a pet slug, but he trusted Momma's judgment. "What kind of presents does Kairi like to get, Momma?" he asked.

"You know her better than I do, Sora-bug," Momma replied, "Do you think she'd like flowers? Or a doll?" She carefully pulled the fillets out of the pan and placed them on a plate, then began cooking the vegetables.

"Maybe…" Sora said thoughtfully. "I'd have to think about it."

Momma set Sora on the floor, and then crouched down so she was at his eye-level. "Well, you have until Saturday to think about it", she said, smiling softly. "Just remember that whatever you do decide to get her, she'll know that it came from right here." Momma patted Sora's chest gently.

"My heart?"

"That's right", Momma said, giving her son a kiss on the forehead. "Now go wash up; dinner will be ready soon."

Sora still had no idea what he could possibly get Kairi for her birthday Saturday. But for now, when he thought about it, he felt much more relaxed.


	3. Counting Games

**Author's Note: **Hello! If you're reading this, I would just like to extend my thanks to you for continuing to read this story. Seriously, it puts a huge smile on my face. :)

I hope you enjoy! Feel free to offer any comments/critiques.

Again, thanks for reading!

* * *

Chapter Three: Counting Games

For the next two days, Sora scoured the islands, looking for the perfect present for Kairi.

On Wednesday afternoon, Momma took him to the marketplace. Sora had mixed feelings about going to the marketplace, even when accompanied by his parents. He wasn't very fond of the smell of raw, sometimes rotting fish being sold, and he didn't like being surrounded by so many people as they shoved their way through the crowds, attempting to catch themselves the best bargain. If it was possible to drown in people, Sora thought to himself, the marketplace was probably where it happens.

Sora gripped Momma's hand tightly as she led him through the crowd, stopping every once in a while to suggest a gift. He wasn't too interested in the trinkets Momma pointed out, though; instead he was preoccupied with a rather unpleasant smell coming from one of the vending carts to his right, and with the lingering desire to go try to win something for Kairi at the boardwalk.

"What about this, Sora?" Momma was holding a small, hand-woven coin bag. Sora reached up and took the tiny treasure from her, scrutinizing every inch of it.

The bag was a beige color, and was woven together with a thread Sora believed to be something like a mix between cotton and straw. The front had a bright pink heart with a red border carefully painted on, and tiny pink beads were sewn in all over the bag. It was closed by tying a small, bright red leather strap, which was carefully laced through small fabric loops, similar to that of a belt loop.

It was very useful and nice, Sora thought. It wasn't _special,_ though. No matter how much munny this little coin bag cost, it just didn't seem to match up to Riku's gift. That little chain necklace was something Riku had actually _won_, which made it just that more special. Sora was unable to see a coin bag being as neat and fun and cool as a gift Riku had won all by himself.

"I think it's pretty, Momma," Sora said, pulling the bag open and peeking inside. "But I don't think it's as good as a prize from the boardwalk."

Momma frowned. "You want to give Kairi something from the boardwalk?"

Sora nodded eagerly. "I want to get a present that's just as cool as Riku's, and…" He handed the bag back to Momma, "The only way I can do that is if I get a present from the boardwalk."

Momma set the bag back on the stand, then reached down to take Sora's hand again. "Sora-bug, I don't think you should be turning this into another competition with Riku," she said.

"I'm not!" Sora exclaimed, waving a hand at her frantically, as if doing so would convince her further. "I just… I just don't want to disappoint Kairi if I can't get her a really, really neat gift."

"Well, okay, Sora," Momma said quietly. "Just don't forget though; you only have three more days."

He nodded. Three days would be enough to win a prize, he hoped.

On Thursday evening, Dad took Sora to the boardwalk. Sora reached into his pocket, nervously regarding the feeling of coins slipping through his fingers.

This was his big chance. He absolutely _had_ to win something tonight, or he would never have a gift as cool as Riku's. And what would Kairi think if she got such a lousy gift from him? It was a stupid thought, and probably the result of him feeling tense, but if Sora didn't win something at the boardwalk, he wasn't sure if he should get Kairi anything at all.

But, now that he thought about it, that idea wouldn't even work. Sora had already promised Riku that he was getting Kairi a really cool present. He had an obligation. Tonight was not just his big chance; it was his _only _chance.

Sora clung to Dad's leg nervously as they stood at the entrance to the boardwalk.

"Think of who you're here for, son", Dad advised, patting Sora's head gently. "You're a man on a mission. You're here for your best friend, for her birthday present, and she's gonna love whatever you win for her, all right?"

Sora nodded, feeling more confident. He started walking slowly, gazing at all the different games and prizes. He walked past dolls with bright red yarn for hair, boats that propelled themselves through the water after winding them up, candy that lodged itself to the roof of your mouth and wouldn't budge unless you pried it off with your fingers, glittering jewelry that hung from hooks on the booths and swayed in the wind…

Something suddenly flashed brightly that caught Sora's eye.

"Look, Dad!" he exclaimed, grabbing his father's hand and dragging him towards a certain booth while pointing ecstatically. "That's it! That's what I want to get her!"

Sora had never seen a prize so _perfect_. It looked as if someone had taken a stick and reached up into the night sky, capturing a star and pulling it back down to earth. The star, which appeared to be made of an iridescent paper, spun in the gentlest breeze, capturing any light and refracting it any which way in a dazzling array of different colors. Sora stared up at it in awe, thrilled with the chance of being able to see such a brilliant star up close.

Kairi would _love_ it.

"All right then," Dad said, picking Sora up and setting him down on the booth table. "Go for it, son."

Sora pulled the coins out of his pocket and handed them to the booth operator, who in return gave the youngster three balls. Sora immediately tensed.

In order to win, he had to land only one ball in one of several cups set on another table several feet away. In previous attempts, Riku had always made it look so easy when he landed a ball in a cup, but every time Sora tried, the ball would simply bounce off the edge and land on the ground.

Sora had three shots. He leaned forward slightly, biting his lip in concentration. This, he told himself, is for Kairi.

_One._

The ball rolled around the edge of a cup sitting at the front of the table, then fell off, bouncing off the table and landing in a spectacular, splashy display in the booth operator's cup of water at the far corner of the booth.

The booth operator was impressed with the effort, at least, but Sora had hit the wrong cup.

_Two._

The ball fell short of the cups, hitting the corner of the table at an odd angle and sending the ball right back into Sora's hands. He looked up at Dad with glee at the idea of getting an extra try.

Sora was rather disappointed when he had to return the ball.

_Three. _This was it; he had to win this next shot. Kairi was depending on him! He had to prove to Riku that he was just as good at winning prizes _and_ giving presents!

But Sora overthrew the ball, and it sailed completely over the table and hit an unfortunate man passing by the booth right in the face. Sora felt his heart break.

"Hold on just a minute, Sora," Dad said, before Sora had a chance for tears. Dad dug around in his pocket for a few seconds, and then produced several coins.

Sora's spirits soared. What luck! He had another chance to win the star!

He continued playing for twenty minutes. He took extreme care with his aim and strength while throwing balls, and he muttered in dismay whenever a ball missed, usually hitting some target other than the intended one.

When his hands were empty, Sora looked up at his father, ready for more coins. But Dad shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Sora. I'm out of munny."

Sora had failed. He couldn't believe it. He failed to win a prize with his munny, and he couldn't even win a prize with Dad's munny. He bit his lip, his eyes burning, and his face hot.

The booth operator frowned, noticing Sora's expression. "Listen kid," he said, reaching underneath the counter. "I don't normally do this, but I gotta give you credit for hitting so many things _other_ than the actual target… I especially gotta give you something for hitting my boss." Straightening, the booth operator handed Sora a small, oddly shaped brown figurine.

"I was saving this for when a kid manages to sink all three balls in one go, but I think you deserve it," the booth operator said, grinning. "You like slugs, right?"

Sora cried the entire way home.

* * *

After a night of fitful sleep, Dad dropped Sora off at Riku's house Friday morning on his way to work. 

"Don't you worry," Dad whispered to Sora as they waited at the front door. "There's still plenty of time to get Kairi a present. Try to cheer up, okay?"

Sora nodded silently, rubbing his nose with his arm.

Riku's house was, in Sora's opinion, the neatest house in the entire neighborhood. It wasn't surprising, then, that a neat guy like Riku would be living in it. It wasn't very large, but it was the one closest to the ocean and the boardwalk. The house itself was built into the side of ah hill, and Sora always took great pleasure in rolling down the hill in the backyard. Despite the house's size, Sora always felt he was stepping into a castle whenever he walked through the front door. His favorite aspect of Riku's house, though, was the tiny spiral staircase that led up to Riku's bedroom, which was separated from the rest of the house.

It was there that the two friends sat, in the middle of the room, surrounded by wrapping paper and ribbons. Riku's mother sat at her son's desk, reading a book and glancing at the boys every so often.

Riku never seemed to express interest in wrapping gifts before, but Sora couldn't help but notice the excitement in his older friend's face as he held the small box to be wrapped in his hands. Undoubtedly, the litte box held that chain necklace. The _perfect_ gift. It wouldn't make sense for a perfect kid like Riku (who also lived in a perfect house) to _not_ have a perfect gift.

"Did you bring your present too?" Riku asked. He had already given up on trying to fold the wrapping paper properly, and settled on slapping on several different styles of paper all over the box.

Sora swallowed hard. "No, 'cause it's a secret," he said, hoping Riku would still buy that lie.

"Oh," Riku said quietly. "It must be something really special, then."

Sora mustered a slight nod, and then offered a piece of bright orange wrapping paper to add to the box. He was starting to feel nauseous with anxiety.

"I can't wait", Riku said proudly, holding the wrapped gift up as he examined it. They couldn't help but admire their handiwork, the most colorful present Sora had ever seen. It was as if a rainbow had exploded all over the box, and tape, glue and glitter was placed all over the gift like randomly strewn debris.

"Look Mom, it's perfect!" Riku turned to her, showing off the present eagerly.

Riku's mother commented that it was certainly the most creative wrapping job she'd ever seen.

The older boy beamed, setting the gift back down. "Kairi will love it," he said confidently.

Sora did his best to smile, feeling himself shrink away from his best friend and the perfect present.

He was returned to Momma earlier than expected that day. Sora clung to Momma's neck as she held him, chatting with Riku's mother. Oh the poor dear, he hardly ate any of his lunch. He seems pretty lethargic; do you suppose he has a fever? No, I don't think so… I'm sure he'll feel better after he has his nap.

That's what Momma reassured him as she tucked him in, anyway. "Sora-bug, I know you're upset about last night," she said, pulling the covers up to his chin and patting his cheek gently. "But I promise you, Kairi will love any present you give her, whether it's from the boardwalk or not. Okay?"

Sora muttered an "okay" and turned on his side.

"Just get some sleep for now." Momma rubbed his back a bit before getting up and leaving, closing the door to his room softly behind her.

Sora was, without a doubt, utterly miserable. Sleep came eventually, though, and he napped fitfully, dreaming of torn ribbons and disappointment.

A cool breeze hitting his face woke Sora up rather abruptly hours later. He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and gazing out the open window. The sun was halfway concealed by the horizon, and the sky was blazing with reds, oranges, and deep purples. It must be close to dinnertime.

_Dinnertime_?! Sora breathed in sharply. It can't already be dinnertime; he still had to get Kairi a present! He leapt out of bed and grabbed his sandals, knocking over his fishing pole and sending a few books flying off his desk in the process. Not even bothering to pick up after himself, he swung his legs over the edge of the window, and quickly began lowering himself onto the ground.

Sora had no time to convince Momma or Dad to take him to get a gift. The day was already almost over; it'd be bedtime by the time he got his parents out the door. Tomorrow was the party! He had to hurry!

Once his feet hit solid ground, he took off, disappearing alone into the quickly approaching night.


	4. The Tempest

**Author's Note: **This was probably the hardest chapter for me to write, more on a technical level than on an emotional level. Since this chapter is told from both Kairi and Riku's perspectives, I had to work pretty hard at giving them both their own distinct voices that are entirely different than the voice used in this fic so far (Sora's).

Here's to hoping I pulled it off. Enjoy! And, cookies for you if you figure out the significance behind Sora's mother's name. :3

* * *

Chapter 4: The Tempest  


She sat in the center of the room, carefully counting out candies. Her parents- well, not her _real_ parents, anyway- sat on the couch watching over her.

Kairi wasn't afraid to call them her parents, however. She couldn't even remember her real mother, but she remembered warm, tender smiles and gentle hands that tucked her in at night, and she remembered loving hugs and kisses on her forehead for whenever she was crying, or sick. The lady on the couch did all of these, and she had an air about her that filled Kairi's heart with a calm, familiar warmth. If she was so nurturing and caring, and if she gave Kairi so much love and security- just like a mother would- why couldn't she be a mother?

As a result, it didn't take her long to transition from calling her Mrs. Lillian to Ma. Ma's husband (his name was Cid, and he was the mayor) soon became Papa.

Papa was worried at first that Kairi was so quick to call him her father, though. Ma reassured her that Papa was just afraid he wouldn't be a very good daddy. "We're both rather old," Ma had said, "and we've never had a little one in the house before. So don't you worry, sweetie, we'll get the hang of things soon enough."

Kairi had understood. She did her best to stay out of trouble, and helped out with the chores whenever Ma or Papa would let her. It was the least she could do; it was her thanks to them for becoming her impromptu parents.

She had so much to be thankful for. So she sat cross-legged on the floor, tying delicate pink ribbons around tiny baskets overflowing with candies. Ma was famous around town for her candy treats, and Kairi had even helped make them this time! She was certain her party guests would love them.

Kairi was more excited about the party than she was willing to admit. The way her heart fluttered when Sora and Riku first suggested it was a sensation still fresh in her mind, and the feeling was revisited every time she thought about tomorrow. She still couldn't believe it. A whole party just for her! All of her friends were going to come over to her house and play games, and maybe help Ma in the garden if they wanted to, and oh, the things they could do! It all felt so surreal.

She was carefully tying the last ribbon on a gift basket when someone suddenly knocked loudly at the door.

"That's odd," Papa said, setting down his book and taking off his glasses. "We don't normally get visitors at this hour." He stood and walked towards the front door. Kairi jumped to her feet and followed, curious.

When Papa opened the door, Kairi felt a bitter cold wash over her. It was Sora's mother, Mrs. Seria, and she looked clearly upset.

"Cid," Mrs. Seria said, her voice wavering. "Is Sora here?"

"Why… No, he isn't."

Kairi had never seen a grownup cry before. Even worse, Mrs. Seria wasn't just crying, she was hysterical.

Ma had arrived by then, and she quickly took Kairi's hand and led her out of the room. She could still hear Mrs. Seria sobbing, though. _I just… I went in to check on him, and he felt a little warm so I opened the window to let some cool air in… And I went to get some water and a cloth, but when I got back he was gone! I only left the room for two minutes at the most… My baby, this is all my fault…_

Kairi was beginning to cry herself.

Ma wrapped Kairi up in a hug and kissed her head. "Don't cry, sweetie," she whispered. "He couldn't have gotten far; we'll find him."

She suddenly pictured a bedroom back in her old town, and a woman sitting on a small bed with flower sheets. The woman was sobbing, and looking out the closed window as rain fell outside. "Kairi, my sweet little girl, where have you gone?" she asked, even though no one else was in the room. "Come home, please, I miss you."

The image made Kairi cry harder.

"Shh." Ma held her, rocking her gently, until her sobs were reduced to quiet whimpers and the occasional hiccup.

Papa was quick to organize things, as always. In only fifteen minutes he had created a search party consisting of everybody in the neighborhood that had answered their door. Kairi sat silently on the floor, running her fingers along the gift basket addressed to Sora.

Now that Mrs. Seria wasn't crying as hard anymore, it was occurring to her that if Sora didn't turn up tonight he wouldn't be at her birthday party. It was a fear Kairi was finding harder and harder to bear.

She wiped away tears and took a deep breath. She would have to be strong. For Mrs. Seria. For Sora.

* * *

Riku wasn't really surprised when he heard that Sora was missing. His best friend always was kind of impulsive, and he always was very good at getting himself into trouble. So, when Mom told him that Sora had disappeared, Riku found it very easy to hide his worry. 

He was surprised, however, when Mom dropped him off at Kairi's house, and he saw how upset Kairi was. Well, no, he wasn't really all that surprised with that, he supposed. What really caught him off guard was that he suddenly found himself with the obligation to cheer up Kairi. Alone. Without Sora. The kid that somehow made snails and grains of sand funny, and never failed to make Riku grin like an idiot. Sora, the kid that made the best of every situation given to him, and far better at making someone smile (along with a lot of other things) than Riku was willing to admit.

This wouldn't end well.

Riku sat down next to Kairi. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she sniffled occasionally. _Oh man_.

"Hi Riku," Kairi said miserably.

"Hi Kairi," Riku managed. Sora you blockhead, why did you have to go and _disappear_? You could be telling Kairi that hilarious joke about the seagull and the fisherman, and she would laugh and everything would be _okay_ again.

Riku considered telling a joke, but when he opened his mouth to speak, all the funny flew right out of him like that one time he opened the gate to his neighbor's chicken coop. He did find his voice eventually, thankfully:

"Are you okay?" Ugh, dumb question, Riku. Of _course_ she's not okay; she's crying!

But, much to Riku's surprise, Kairi seemed to appreciate the question. She scooted closer, wiping away a tear and looking up at him with with eyes full of trust. Riku blinked, taken aback.

"Riku, Sora will be here tomorrow, right?" There was hopefulness in her voice, as if she were counting on him to bring Sora home himself. Riku found himself grasping for words.

"I…" Suddenly, in his odd state of panic mixed with the desire to live up to his expectations of himself, Riku remembered that Kairi's birthday party was tomorrow. Of course!

Riku immediately found himself able to empathize with her. Last year, Sora had eaten some undercooked fish they day before their birthday party, and Riku wound up celebrating without him. Even though there were plenty of other people there, and they were all giving him presents and well wishes, he believed it to be the loneliest birthday he had ever spent.

Sora was odd like that. His presence filled some sort of void in your heart, and you felt calm, happy, and completely at peace. But when he was gone, all there was left was emptiness; a dull aching in your chest that nobody other than Sora could relieve.

He felt that emptiness right then, too. Riku quickly found it much easier to come up with words. "I know how you feel."

"You do?"

"Yeah…" Riku breathed a sigh, relaxing a little. "I always feel like something's missing whenever Sora's not around. But don't worry, he's not dumb enough to miss your birthday party."

"You promise?"

He paused. "Yeah."

It seemed to be enough for Kairi. Riku nearly fell over when she suddenly hugged him fiercely, her tears gone. "Thank you, Riku," she said, smiling.

He gave her his warmest smile, feeling his fear about not being good enough melt right off his heart.

Riku realized that night, in the midst of Sora's disappearance, that he didn't have to be the funny guy to cheer his friends up. That was Sora's job. No, Riku's job (even though he believed he stunk at it) was to be the strength for when his friends had none.

A loud crack caused them both to jump. _Thunder_! Rain suddenly slammed against the windows in sheets, and Riku could hear the wind howling loudly, as if the house itself was moaning. Palm trees were whipping around in the wind, and he could see the leaves dancing in the windows.

Kairi panicked. "Riku! He's still out there!" Her whole body was shaking.

For the first time ever, Riku was strong enough to hug her, to just wrap her up and be her source of comfort.

He was worried, of course, and maybe even terrified. Who knows what sort of trouble Sora's gotten himself into? Even worse, he was out there, all alone, while the sky unleashed a furious tempest on the islands. Riku found himself wondering if something happened to Sora. What if... What if he was hurt?

He was starting to feel sick with worry. But for Kairi's sake, he did not dare show it.


	5. Denouement

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! This is the last chapter of this story, save for the epilogue. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Five: Denouement**

It was several hours into his ordeal, and Sora was still empty-handed.

He had resorted to pacing up and down the beach, since he couldn't locate the boardwalk in the dark. To make matters worse, rain had begun to fall. It was as if the islands wanted to share in his misery; either that or the islands had a pretty cruel sense of humor.

A prize from the boardwalk was definitely out of the question _now_. Sora sighed heavily. He would just have to accept defeat and make Kairi a present when he got home.

That is, if he could _find_ home. Sora shivered as water dripped off his hair and rolled down his face. What was he thinking anyway, running off alone like this? What if he went home and made a gift, and it was so terrible that everybody hated him? What if he had to live on the beach forever?

He could make do living in the wild, he guessed. Dad showed him how to make a homemade fishing pole once, and whenever he caught a fish maybe Momma could come over and cook it for him. Or he could live off of coconuts; he would just have to figure out how to get them down from the trees, and how to open them.

It was a decent backup plan, anyway, but Sora hated it. It wasn't the idea of living off coconuts that he despised; in fact, he thought it sounded like a pretty good meal plan. He just couldn't stand the thought of having to live alone, without Momma or Dad or his friends. What would he _do_ with himself?

Sora wondered momentarily if he would turn into a merman if he stood in the ocean long enough. Boy, wouldn't that be a neat life!

If that didn't work, maybe he'd travel the world, a man of the seas. Like… like a pirate! He plopped down on the shoreline, lost somewhere between the feeling of rain hitting his back and the waves gathering around his legs. Pirates had great lives! They sailed the seas and searched for buried treasure, and they didn't have to worry about stuff like getting birthday presents. Or, if they did have to get birthday presents, they could always just give away something from their pirate chest. But only if they wanted to.

It was settled, then. Sora would become a pirate. He would build himself a raft, and he would sail away until a pirate ship picked him up and made him captain.

Rain- or tears, perhaps, he couldn't really tell- clouded his vision as he walked up and down the beach, gathering sticks and tying them together with string he'd found in his pocket. It'd be okay… Once he got out to sea, he'd have a whole new life and new friends. He hadn't met them yet, but he promised he wouldn't let him down. Not like how he'd let down everybody here. His parents, Riku and Kairi…

"I can't do this!" Sora cried to the storm. Thunder bellowed from the clouds in response, and rain splashed across his face angrily. "I don't want to leave, and I don't want new friends! I just want…" he wiped warm tears away from the cold drenching his face. "I just want to go home!"

A loud, sudden roar caused him to jump, and Sora looked in horror as the waves crashed into the shore, growing larger and more powerful with each gust of wind. They were much larger than he was, and though he stood far away from the shore the water was flowing up to his ankles. Every wave that hit crept higher, and eventually water was hitting his knees.

It was probably getting too dangerous to stay here. He'd have to find somewhere to sleep and make his raft tomorrow.

Lightning danced across the sky, illuminating the entire beach. Sora had turned to scramble up on the walkway when another flash of lightning caught something in the receding waters, causing it to gleam brightly. Sora blinked, staring at the twinkling light in the sand, mesmerized.

Another wave swept across the beach, hitting the hem of his shorts. He had to hold onto the side of the walkway to avoid being sucked into the undertow.

Another bolt of lightning flashed, and he saw the glitter again.

What was it? His heart leapt into his throat, wondering if whatever it was would make a good birthday present. Maybe he wouldn't have to leave after all! His legs began moving before he could think about the consequences. If he moved fast enough, he could get to the treasure before the next wave came through, and if it was a good present then he could go to the _party_ tomorrow, and-

"Sora!"

He didn't hear Dad's voice as he ran forward. The shining treasure- no, his whole _future-_ was closer, almost in his reach. He just had to go a little further, and he would have it!

"Sora! Get back here, son!"

He crouched down and snatched his prize. "I've got it!" Sora shouted triumphantly, holding it tightly in his fist. "I've got it!"

"Sora!" Momma was screaming at him now. He straightened, grinning, suddenly noticing the wave towering over him. He had never seen a wave so huge before; it was twice his height and bearing over him like a giant moving wall. The force of the water could crush him where he stood!

His grin fading, he backed away slowly, tripping over his feet and landing on his bottom.

"Momma!" Freezing salt water splashed across his face, and he flinched as it went up his nose.

He cowered in fear as the wave began crashing down on him, and he desperately covered his head with his arms. He felt someone suddenly grab him and pull him close, shielding him from the water.

"Hold your breath, son!"

Sora gasped and clamped his mouth shut as the water collided into them and tossed them around helplessly. He thought he heard Momma scream, but they could do nothing; they were at the complete mercy of the ocean.

* * *

"Sora?" 

Someone was cradling him, and patting him on the back gently. Nausea swept over him, and he swayed before heaving powerfully.

"He's swallowed a lot of salt water, that's all," he heard another voice say. "Keep an eye on him tonight, and make sure he's hydrated. Let me know if he gets worse, all right?"

"All right. Thank you so much", Momma's voice said. Sora could feel her fingers running through his hair as she held him close to her, and carried him back outside.

He clung to her tightly, watching her necklace sparkle in the moonlight.

Sparkle? The present! His hands were empty, and the only thing in his pocket was a clump of wet sand. Where was it? He had it in his hand right before the wave hit… What if he…? No… Sora refused to believe that he could have dropped it.

"Momma?"

"Yes, sweetie?" Dad joined them for the walk home, and he began pulling seaweed off of his clothes.

"I…"

Momma rubbed his back. "Are you going to be sick again, Sora?"

"No!" He paused. "…Yes."

It was a shame it had stopped raining. Dad told Momma to remind him to apologize in the morning for the mess in the doctor's front yard.

Sora got to sleep in his parents' bed that night, after spending a few hours cooped up in the bathroom. His exhaustion was easily overpowering his worry for his lost present, but even so, he wasn't intent on going to sleep just yet.

He looked up at Momma as she tucked him in. "Momma, I-"

Momma tucked a towel under his cheek, and instructed him to aim for the towel and not the floor.

"No, Momma", Sora said, swallowing. "I had a present for Kairi, but I lost it…" He bit his lip. "It was all I had to give her, and now it's gone."

"What did it look like, Sora-bug?" She lay down next to him.

"It sparkled… And it was shiny, and pretty, and when the light hit it, it looked like a star."

"That sounds familiar", Momma said. He felt her press something against his hand. Sora glanced down, and much to his surprise, he saw something sparkle. He gasped, and looked up at her, grinning.

"Go to sleep", Momma said gently, kissing his forehead.

* * *

Sora felt like a brand new kid in the morning, but Momma was hesitant to let him go to the party. Dad eventually convinced her, however, since she was going to stay at the party anyway to help out. 

Kairi's backyard had been transformed into a gorgeous party room, with games and food on every corner. Homemade streamers were tied into careful ribbons on strings that were drawn across the entire yard, and the tables were adorned with bright pink cloths and plates that gleamed, as if they were inviting cake to be dumped on.

Ah, cake. At parties, Sora was normally interested in attacking and destroying the cake the moment he got there, but that day he held a tiny wrapped gift in his hands and stood nervously next to Momma.

"Are you all right, Sora-bug? We can go home if you're not feeling well…" Momma reached for his hand.

Sora shook his head quickly, clutching the present tightly. "No, I'm okay Momma", he said quietly.

He began walking to the small pile of presents at the other end of the backyard, watching Kairi open them. He watched her open dolls, coin purses, flowers, and oh how happy she was when she opened Riku's present!

"I love it!" Kairi cried, wrapping him up in a big hug. "Did you win this at the boardwalk yourself?"

All the beet-red Riku could muster was a nod. The other kids murmured to one another, impressed that Riku could accomplish such a feat.

Sora stood a few feet away, staring down at his present and hoping he could be half as neat as Riku someday.

"Sora, you're here!" Kairi ran over to him, followed by Riku and the other children. "I'm so glad… I was afraid you wouldn't be able to come after being lost in the rain last night." She glanced at Riku, grinning.

Riku returned the smile, and then socked Sora on the shoulder playfully. "Yeah, what's the big idea making Kairi worry like that?" Before Sora could answer, though, he continued. "What was it like out there last night anyway?"

"Wet", Sora replied. The children laughed.

"Hey, is that Kairi's present? Let's see it!"

Sora drew it away instinctively, then sighed slightly. "Okay…" he reluctantly handed the package over.

Riku watched eagerly. "It's gotta be great, Kairi, 'cause Sora wouldn't even tell me what it was."

The words were out of Sora's mouth before he could react. "That's not true! I mean…" Riku was looking at him oddly.

Sora sighed, staring at his feet. "I'm sorry", he muttered. "I wanted to win a gift at the boardwalk too, but I wasn't good enough, and I didn't want to let you down so I lied about having a present and-"

But Riku wasn't listening. He was staring in awe at the box Kairi had opened, and everyone else was crowding around to get a closer look.

Kairi pulled a seashell carefully out of the box. It was small, but it shone brightly in the sun as if it were a diamond. Several colors blended together across the shell, and the waves had gently carved the shell into a heart.

"Whoa…" Riku looked up at Sora. "Did you make this yourself?"

Sora stared at him, flabbergasted. "No, I found it last night… But, I don't think it's as good as your present, Riku."

Riku scratched his head. "Why not?"

"Because… Because I didn't win it." Sora stared at his feet.

He nearly fell over when Kairi suddenly hugged him fiercely. She was clutching the seashell and the chain necklace in her hands, and Sora was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Sora, you're a bum!" she exclaimed.

He had no idea how to respond to that.

"I love these presents", Kairi said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But you know what I love more? You guys _cared _enough to get me something at all. You cared enough to give me a birthday in the first place! Without you guys… This would be just another Saturday."

Sora opened his mouth to speak, but Kairi wasn't finished.

"You know what's even neater?" she asked, grinning. "I know the stories of where you guys got these, and it just makes them that much more special to me." She held up the necklace. "Riku… you won this at the boardwalk, and Sora…" She held up the seashell. "Sora… Well, you wound up getting in trouble."

Something far greater than a birthday present itself is the reasoning behind the gift, or even how the giver went about getting it. The charm in that one Saturday afternoon wasn't the party itself, or even the gifts or the neat party favors that went home with the guests. That Saturday's charm was the bond between friends, and the memories that were held in a chain necklace and a seashell.

**END**


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

She wakes early in the morning, and she pulls on her dress, silently regarding herself in the mirror. She has grown up way too fast for Ma and Papa ("Almost sixteen already?" Papa had said, shaking his head), and she only smiles at them and apologizes.

She remembers a time when she wasn't so alone. She remembers warm, smiling faces and hands touching her arms gently; she remembers strength in the hearts of two boys, and they were her strength whenever she needed them.

Sora and Riku. It is getting too hard to stay here without them. Kairi knows in her heart that they will return someday, when the battle against the Heartless is won, but their absence grows harder to bear as each day passes.

She is supposed to meet with Selphie at the boardwalk today, but instead she finds herself lost in an old photo album, flipping carefully through pages and smiling at pictures of when Sora and Riku were very young.

Kairi flips to the last page, and something suddenly slides out of the album, startling her. On the floor in front of her lay a small chain necklace, and a seashell in the shape of a heart.

She smiles, picking up the presents and holding them gently in her hands. Oh, she remembers these! It was her sixth birthday; the first birthday she ever had on the islands. Riku won the necklace at the boardwalk and Sora… well, Sora got in trouble. She runs her fingers gently across the delicate chain and shell, her memories of that day returning and fresh in her mind.

She wonders if she could fit both in her pocket without damaging them, but when she slips them in she is too afraid even sitting would break them. She sighs slightly, wanting to keep the items, the small little reminders of her best friends, as close to her as possible. She holds the necklace and seashell in her hands, staring down at them momentarily before suddenly getting an idea.

"Papa!"

* * *

Later that day, she stands by the ocean, a bright light shining from her heart. The seashell gleams in the sunlight as it sits on her chest, suspended by the chain necklace.

She knows now, as she cups the shell gently in her hand, that she cannot wait for Sora and Riku to return on their own. She understands that they may have their own battles, but she doesn't think they should have to fight them alone.

Kairi will be back, and when she does she won't be alone. After all, this year her birthday falls on a Saturday.


End file.
